The West Papua conference that was expected to open in Vanuatu next week has been postponed.

West Papuan campaigners, supporters and students gathered in Auckland for a memorial ceremony for the Vanuatu-based exile John Ondawame who died recently in Port Vila.

The Pacific Freedom Forum says Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo should keep his campaign promise to open up access to West Papua.

Margareth S.

The Chairman of the Vanuatu-based West Papua Unification Committee says they won't defer to Indonesia on the issue of West Papuan self-determination aspiration.

The Vanuatu-based West Papua Unification Committee has postponed this month's planned West Papua conference to early October.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Joe Natuman has reconfirmed his government's support for West Papuan independence aspirations to Indonesia's government.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister says a West Papua conference in Port Vila this month will provide a platform for delegates to decide together whether they want to join the Melanesian Spearhe

Support for a West Papuan bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group is strong in Indonesia's Papua region, according to a leading local journalist.

The Pacific Islands Forum leaders in Palau have been urged to discuss human rights violations in West Papua.

The 45th Pacific Islands Forum and related meetings will be held from 29 July to 1 August 2014 in Koror, the Republic of Palau.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman says the government is still looking at pushing the West Papua issue at the United Nations level.

Port Moresby – The Government of Vanuatu will continue raising the issue on West Papua to the UN.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman says the onus is on Indonesia to allow West Papuan groups to partake in a more inclusive application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders say they want to take a more proactive approach alongside Indonesia to help address the development needs of West Papuans.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – Police said that two firearms, some traditional weapons and a thousand rounds of ammunition seized in a Jayapura raid had been smuggled in from Papua New Gui

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders meeting in Port Moresby have indicated that the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation's bid to join the group will have to return to the drawin

Port Moresby, PNG – The Free West Papua Campaign PNG chapter is appealing to the members of Parliament for the West Papua's membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders meeting this week in the Papua New Guinea capital are expected to formulate a decision on a West Papuan bid to join the grouping.

Siteri Sauvakacolo – The Indonesian embassy in Fiji says no one has the right to interfere in matters relating to West Papua.

Tevita Vuibau – Churches in Fiji and the region are throwing their voices behind self determination for West Papua.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would explain his policies on Papua during his visit to Fiji, where he will attend a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, some of whom

Churches in the Solomon Islands have agreed to actively support the struggle for political independence of the people of West Papua.

Wutung, PNG – - The Indonesia-PNG border was officially opened on Tuesday this week but closed down again three hours later due to the killing of an Indonesian soldier by OPM (Organisas

The Pacific Conference of Churches is calling on leaders attending a United Nations meeting on decolonisation this week in Fiji to advocate for West Papua to be added to the UN list of

The West Papua Coalition for Liberation says the new Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman will continue the good work of his predecessor in supporting the West Papuan self-determination c

The Australia West Papua Association in Sydney has written an open letter (below) to the PIF leaders asking that they discuss the issue of West Papua and the ongoing human rights abuses

Jayapura – Operations by the Indonesian military to capture rebels near the border with Papua New Guinea last week scared residents in Vanimo, said PNG opposition leader BeldeNamah.

The Free West Papua Campaign says West Papuan refugees living in Vanimo in Papua New Guinea fear they will be killed in revenge for the armed clashes on the Wutung border post.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – An Indonesian soldier suffered minor injuries during a firefight between police and members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) on the border of the restive Ind

Jayapura – Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosis said his remarks highlighting human rights abuses in West Papua at the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session have won praise f

Jayapura – Using the right of reply, Indonesian Ambassador to the United Nations Indonesia's rejected the statement of Prime Minister of Vanuatu.

Suva, Fiji – An Indonesian delegation arrived into the country last night to strengthen the growing relations between Indonesia and Fiji.

The chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Victor Tutugoro, says the group's special meeting to discuss the outcome of a visit to Indonesia's West Papua has been put off until the

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – Five Indonesian fishermen remained missing as of Sunday after military officers in neighboring Papua New Guinea allegedly told them to jump off their boat be

Up to 30 activists were arrested during the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) visit to the West Papua provincial capital of Jayapura on 13 January.

Robert Matau – The Melanesian Spearhead Group heads into further talks this month to seek more answers from the MSG mission that failed to meet indigenous West Papuan leaders in West Pa

Port Vila, Vanuatu – The head of the West Papuan National Coalition for Liberation, Andy Ayamiseba, said the Melanesian Spearhead Group's (MSG) fact-finding mission to Indonesia and Wes

A member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group says it is not possible to accept the application of a West Papuan group into the MSG because it's not the only organisation that represents W

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation believes a visit by a Melanesian Spearhead Group delegation to Papua last week would have been revealing, despite no meetings with civil

The director general of the Melanesian Spearhead Group has confirmed a special Leaders meeting will be held in Vanuatu next month.

Marni Cordell – Despite earlier pledging support for West Papuan independence, Pacific leaders bloc agrees not to interfere in Indonesia's affairs

The chairperson of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association believes Indonesia is trying to divide members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and weaken their stance on West Papua.

Ina Parlina and Margareth S.

He says it is now unlikely the Vanuatu-based West Papuan separatist group will be admitted as a full member.

Donvito Samartha dan Desa Apridini, Jakarta – A group of West Papuan students tried to block a vehicle transporting state guests from the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as it was exit

Vanuatu's Foreign Minister Edward Natapei believes recent events will make it more difficult to push for the admission of a West Papuan group into the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says foreign ministers from the Melanesian Spearhead Group have been able to see first hand Indonesia's suppression of the Papuans.

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says the Indonesia visit by the foreign ministers from the Melanesian Spearhead Group has defeated the mandate given at the last MSG sum

Pacific Media Centre news desk – The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says foreign ministers from the Melanesian Spearhead Group have been able to see first hand Indonesia's